Percussion fuse for rocketprojectiles



Patented Jan. 31, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PERCUSSION FUSE FOR ROCKET- PROJECTILES Paul Emile Joseph Denoix, Paris, France, assignor to Sageb, Socit Anonyme de Gestion et de Exploitation de Brevets, Fribourg, Switzerland, a corporation of Switzerland Application December 27, 1937, Serial No. 181,970 In Switzerland December 31, 1936 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a percussion fuse for rocket-projectiles, which are equipped with a jet propulsion device, and aims at providing a fuse of the foregoing kind Which is simple in con- 5 struction and reliable in operation.

The fuse of the present invention comprises a safety device, the eifacement of which is controlled by a locking member projecting from the I rear of the body of the fuse and covered by a tion chamber of the jet propulsion charge, in such a manner that the pressure generated in said chamber deforms said diaphragms, thus displacing the locking member and setting the fuse ready for action.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which illustrates diagrammatically and by of example one embodiment thereof, and in which:-

Fig. l is an axial section of. a bomb equipped with a system of jet propulsion and primed by the aid of a fuse according to the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a section, on a larger scale, through the fuse.

In the embodiment shown, the fuse I is mounted in the bottom of a bomb 2 containing an ofiensive charge 3 and separated, by a deformable diaphragm d, from a combustion chamher 5 containing the jet propulsion charge 6 which discharges into a nozzle I.

The fuse comprises a body I (Fig. 2) mounted in a sheath 8 and provided with a bore 9 on which a locking cap II! is adapted to slide, this latter is blocked, when in neutral position, by a pin II which secures it to a second cap I2 integral with the member I servingto guide a striker I3 which is restrained, by means of a spring I5, from a primer IA. The cap I0 is arranged so as to project at the rear of the fuse body I carrying the diaphragm 4 which is provided with a recess I6 corresponding with the projection on the cap I0.

Balls IT, or equivalent locking members, are

held in engagement with a throat I8 in the diaphragm which forms one wall of the combusl2 serves, together with the spring I5, to hold the striker away from the primer I4, until the moment of impact.

The arrangement operates as foliows:When the pressure generated in the chamber 5 by the combustion of the reaction or jet propulsion charge 6 attains a predetermined value, the diaphragm I6 is deformed and forces the cap I0 into its bore 9, shearing the pin II or other retaining means, the balls l'l being then in position facing the throat I9 are able to move away, by centrifugal force if the projectile is animated by a rotational movement during its trajectory. Otherwise, they are displaced, laterally, on impact, by the striker I3 which impinges, by inertia, against the primer I4, shearing the pin 20 and compressing the spring I5.

Although, in the embodiment described, the fuse is represented as applied to an aerial bomb, it is obvious that, with certain modifications which will be clear to those skilled in the art, it can also be applied to projectiles equipped with a rocket and launched, from the ground, by any kind of instrument, and if desired, fired from a gun like an ordinary projectile, the reaction charge coming into operation either at the time the shot is fired, or during the trajectory, in order to add its effect to the initial launching charge.

It is moreover obvious that various alterations and modifications can be introduced without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claim.

I claim:

In a rocket-projectile formed with a chamber receiving a jet propulsion charge: a percussion fuse having a fuse body mounted in said projectile, a safety vice in said percussion fuse to prevent a premature working of the fuse, said safety device having a locking member projecting from the rear of said fuse body in said chamber, retaining means to maintain said locking member in looking position, a diaphragm interposed between said jet propulsion charge and said locking member, said diaphragm being adapted to be deformed by the pressure generated in said chamber by the combustion of said jet propulsive charge to push said locking member into inoperative position in the fuse body against said retaining means.

PAUL EMILE JOSEPH DENOIX. 

